Arcade Mode

Arcade Mode is a recurring game mode in the Tekken series of games. Arcade Mode, a platform-exclusive mode, represents the Arcade version of a Tekken game, but with FMVs awarded to the player after winning (the original Arcade versions only had a "You are the Champion" screen). Unlike "Time Attack", another Tekken game mode, this mode's rounds and time limit can be modified to the player's liking.

It should be noted that since Tekken 4, this mode was renamed Story mode, and that Arcade mode was from then on quite literally the arcade version of the platform game. Regardless, this article will deal strictly with the mode named in-game as "Arcade mode", despite the name and mode change.

Contents

History

In the first installment of the series, the player fights through nine stages. The first seven are against random characters, the eighth is against the character's sub-boss, and the ninth is against Heihachi Mishima, the "boss" of the game. After defeating Heihachi, the character's ending plays and their sub-boss is unlocked for play. Clearing the game in less than five minutes without continuing unlocks Heihachi.

When playing the game as Heihachi, the player will face all the sub-bosses, followed by Kazuya Mishima in his Devil outfit as the boss.

Only the eight default characters have ending videos; completing the game with a sub-boss or Heihachi will go straight to the game's staff roll.

The player fights ten stages, as opposed to nine in the first Tekken game. The first seven stages are randomly selected fights against seven of the other initially available characters, while the last three stages are set. Stage 8 is against the character's sub-boss, stage 9 is against Kazuya Mishima, and stage 10 is against Devil after Kazuya transforms into him. After clearing this mode, the ending is shown and the player's fighter's sub-boss is unlocked. Kazuya can be unlocked by clearing Arcade with one of the sub-bosses after all of them have become playable, and Devil/Angel by clearing Arcade mode with Kazuya.

There are some exceptions to the statements mentioned above:

Roger, Kazuya's sub-boss, will not be unlocked when Arcade mode is defeated with Kazuya (since this unlocks Devil/Angel). To unlock Roger (and Alex, his palette swap), the player must win Stage 3 with less than 5% of the health bar left, i.e. on "Great".

Roger and Alex will face Kuma on stage 4 if the player wins the final round of stage 3 with less than 5% health remaining (as above).

Very much like Tekken 2, but there are some differences. The player faces random opponents on the first 8 stages, then Heihachi Mishima on stage 9 (with the exception of Heihachi, who faces Jin Kazama instead of himself), and Ogre on stage 10. After winning the first round against Ogre, he transforms into True Ogre. Even if they set only one round in the game options, they still get one round with True Ogre.

Unlocking a character is no longer connected with what character clears Arcade mode, meaning characters are unlocked in a specific order. This order is:

The first time players clear Arcade, they will get Kuma. The second, Julia, etc. Each time they have to go through Arcade Mode with a different character, chosen from those available from the start.
Along with True Ogre, they gain Theater and Tekken Ball modes.

In Tekken 4, what was formerly known as "Arcade mode" changed its name to "Story mode", a name which has remained in all later installments of the Tekken series. The "new" Arcade mode was quite simply the arcade version of Tekken 4, and only served a function similar to Time Attack Mode, but with changeable options, such as round time, difficulty, etc., and nothing could be unlocked from playing it.

In Arcade mode, the player fights an unlimited number of AI characters for money and rank. The rank of the character used, compared to the rank of the opponent, decides the amount of money earned. The higher the rank of the AI, the more difficult it will be to defeat.

Ranking

In order, from lowest to highest, the ranks in Arcade mode are:

Beginner9th kyu8th kyu7th kyu6th kyu5th kyu4th kyu3rd kyu2nd kyu

1st kyu1st dan2nd dan3rd dan4th dan5th danShihanExpertMaster

VirtuosoChampionLegendSageWarlordConquerorDeityTekken Lord

Ranking works in giving promotions or demotions through winning or losing fights, respectively. However, when these promotion/demotion chance fights occur, it is decided on a point system. The player needs 3 points to be promoted, and -3 points to be demoted. How many points a player gets for a win is calculated as 1/(1 + x), "x" being the difference in ranks between the player and the opponent, meaning that fighting against much stronger opponents will not help the player gain ranks (they will earn more money though).

One thing to note is that a promotion chance will occur if the win of a fight will bring the player up to 3 points or above, so it is not required to have three points already. The same applies to demotions.

Earning Money

The default amount for each fight is 1000G, which is earned if player and AI are of the same rank. If the AI is of a lower rank, no matter how many ranks lower, 200G is subtracted from the default amount. If the AI is of a higher rank, 100G for each rank the AI is higher is added to the default amount. With the last three ranks, however, that default amount is changed to 2000G, though the calculations remain the same.

The actual amount earned in Arcade Mode is 800G-4000G. The amount earned is determined by which level the CPU opponent the player defeated is ranked.

All ranks return from Tekken 5 with the exception of Conqueror and the addition of 12 new ranks.

Unlockables

In the PlayStation 3 version of the game, it is possible to unlock Jinpachi Mishima and Tekken 5 stages for use.
Jinpachi Mishima can be unlocked by beating this mode once. Tekken 5 stages can be unlocked by beating this mode with three different characters (three times).

Earning Money

In the PlayStation Portable version of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, the default amount is 2500G. If an opponent with a higher rank is defeated, the amount increases. If an opponent with a lower rank is defeated, the amount decreases.

In the PS3 version, Arcade Mode has 9 stages. The Fight Money is determined by the performance in the match under the criteria, Stage Bonus, Time Bonus, Health Bonus and Special Bonus.

The player can gain a rank by winning promotion matches. Their rank will go up by getting the promotion match by fighting with other characters of other ranks, only on the Color Group they are on, or the Color Group after them.

For example, a character in the Brown Rank can't get a promotion match by fighting with Green Rank characters, and a character in the Green Ranks cannot get a promotion match fighting the Brown Rank characters. This does not apply for Brown Rank characters as they must win 3 matches if they are to reach 1st Kyu, where they have to win four matches to reach 1st dan.

Tekken 7

After winning a versus match or starting a game, the player will face five opponents. Three of them are random fighters, while Stage 4 is for Heihachi. After defeating Heihachi, Kazumi will be fought. If the player wins a round, Kazumi will transform into her devil form.